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It's hard for me to conceive of a 1M+ population as a "college town," but, as I've learned in Minneapolis, there can be a college part of that town. Minneapolis has a very clearly defined college town within the city. Is Austin like that? I don't recall that near Vanderbilt, but I didn't really look for it when I was consistently visiting Nashville. 

It's hard for me to conceive of a 1M+ population as a "college town," but, as I've learned in Minneapolis, there can be a college part of that town. Minneapolis has a very clearly defined college town within the city. Is Austin like that? I don't recall that near Vanderbilt, but I didn't really look for it when I was consistently visiting Nashville.

The UT campus can be entirely self-contained for those who live on campus.  There are restaurants and stores throughout, and then there's "The Drag" which is a commercial street immediately alongside campus that has the bookstores, more restaurants, retail, grocery bodegas, bars, etc.

And there are several student-housing areas full of apartments and seedy old rent houses or garage apartments immediately adjacent to campus on the north, west, and south sides.  There's no need to venture more than a few blocks away if you don't want to.

But the reality is that once you finish your freshman year and/or move off-campus, it reverts very much to a large western city car-culture kind of place.  So it's not all that college-y at that point.

The Sporting News 20 greatest college football teams since 1886

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/sporting-news-140-ranking-20-greatest-college-football-teams-1886/8536ea87b7c91bd31675e04d


1. Nebraska 1995 
Record: 12-0
Coach: Tom Osborne
Points for/against: 52.4 ppg. (1st), 13.6 ppg. (4th)
All-Americans: QB Tommie Frazier, C Aaron Graham, DE Jared Tomich

Nebraska won every game by 14 points or more in its national title defense. The Huskers rolled up 399.8 rushing yards per game on seven yards per carry with a dominant attack that featured Frazier, Ahman Green and Lawrence Phillips. Seven players had at least 300 rushing yards. Tomich and Grant Wistrom were part of a relentless pass rush for the "Blackshirts." Nebraska hammered Nick Saban-led Michigan State 50-10 in Week 2 and never stopped until the 62-24 victory against Florida in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2, 1996. Frazier's 75-yard TD run against the Gators best embodies the unstoppable nature of his team – which resonates in Lincoln as the standard more than 30 years later.

Inside the poll: 1995 Nebraska was the only school that appeared on all 20 ballots in our panel.

2. Miami 2001
Record: 12-0
Coach: Larry Coker
Points for/against: 43.2 ppg. (3rd), 9.4 ppg. (1st) 
All-Americans: CB Phillip Buchanon, T Joaquin Gonzalez, T Bryant McKinnie, S Ed Reed, K Todd Sievers, TE Jeremy Shockey

The Hurricanes had an absurd collection of talent that featured 37 future NFL Draft picks. Ken Dorsey led an offense that featured Clinton Portis, Frank Gore and Willis McGahee in the backfield and Andre Johnson and Shockey in the passing game. Reed was the heart of the defense that allowed just 12 TDs all season. That was just two more than the 10 TDs the Hurricanes compiled on defense and special teams. Miami closed the regular season with a 26-24 victory at No. 14 Virginia Tech and dominated No. 4 Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl. This is the best team of the 21st century.

Expert's take: "The 2001 Miami team was one of the most dominant I covered. That 12-0 season was part of a 34-game winning streak with a star-studded roster with the likes of Willis McGahee, Andre Johnson, Vince Wilfork, Jonathan Vilma." – Tom Dienhart

3. LSU 2019
Record: 15-0
Coach: Ed Orgeron
Points for/against: 48.4 ppg. (1st), 21.9 ppg. (32nd)
All-Americans: QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja'Marr Chase, S Grant Delpit, CB Derek Stingley Jr.

Orgeron led LSU's last national title team. Burrow – the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner – and passing game coordinator Joe Brady clicked with a high-powered offense that featured Chase, Justin Jefferson and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Patrick Queen was part of that star-studded defense with Delpit and Stingley. It was the perfect mix of talent – one that was good enough to beat No. 2 Alabama 42-39 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. LSU beat seven top-10 teams that season – the last a 42-25 victory against Clemson in the CFP championship game. Burrow had one of the greatest individual seasons of all time with 5,671 passing yards and 60 TDs, plus five rushing touchdowns.


4. Texas 2005
Record: 13-0
Coach: Mack Brown
Points for/against: 50.2 ppg. (1st), 16.4 ppg. (9th)
All-Americans: S Michael Huff, T Jonathan Scott, DT Rodrique Wright, QB Vince Young

The Longhorns broke through with Young – who orchestrated an offense that put up 40-plus points in 12 games. Young's late TD pass to Limas Sweed clinched a 25-23 victory at No. 4 Ohio State in Week 2, and the Longhorns fulfilled their obligation to meet No. 1 USC in the Rose Bowl. Texas won a 41-38 thriller in which Young – who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting – compiled 267 passing yards, 200 rushing yards and three TDs. That included the game-winner. It was the perfect ending to the crown jewel game of the BCS era.

Expert's take: "That team was loaded with NFL picks, a killer offensive line and secondary and of course the incomparable Vince Young. I consider the 2006 Rose Bowl the best game ever played because it matched No. 1 vs No. 2, a pair of teams that averaged over 50 points a game, a supposedly unbeatable defending champion in USC, the perfect setting in Pasadena, Keith Jackson on the mic and the highest of drama with Young's final touchdown dance on fourth-and-5 and the fourth-down stop of the Trojans before the winning drive." – Kirk Bohls

SN 140: Vince Young's mad dash ends greatest title game ever

5. USC 2004
Record: 13-0
Coach: Pete Carroll
Points for/against: 38.2 ppg. (6th), 13.0 ppg (2nd)
All-Americans: AP Reggie Bush, DT Shaun Cody, LB Matt Grootegoed, QB Matt Leinart, DE MIke Patterson

The Trojans were the dynasty of the early 2000s – and this team validated that with a second straight national championship run behind Leinart, who won the Heisman Trophy; and Bush, the electric playmaker who kept the high-powered offense running. The defense probably does not get enough credit given only three teams scored 20 or more points. USC held off No. 7 Cal and Aaron Rodgers in a 23-17 thriller in the regular season and routed No. 2 Oklahoma 55-19 in the BCS championship game.

Inside the ballot: Despite that dominance, USC did not receive a first-place vote among 20 ballots and was left off four ballots among our 20 voters.


6. Nebraska 1971
Record: 13-0
Coach: Bob Devaney
Points for/against: 39.1 ppg (3rd), 8.2 ppg. (3rd)
All-Americans: DT Rich Glover, DE Willie Harper, DT Larry Jacobson, WR Johnny Rodgers

Nebraska also won the national championship in 1970 – but this team had the right combination of star power with Rodgers, who had 53 catches for 873 yards and 11 TDs. Glover and Jacobson formed one of the greatest interior defensive tandems ever, and the Huskers beat No. 2 Oklahoma 35-31 in the "Game of the Century," which was defined by Rodgers' 72-yard punt return for a TD. Nebraska stamped their legacy with a 38-6 victory against No. 2 Alabama in the Orange Bowl.

Expert's take: "This star-loaded team which rolled to a second straight national title just as easily could have been No. 1 on this list. With Johnny Rodgers and Rich Glover dazzling as well as beating others, this was the cream of the Bob Devaney era." – Tim May

7. USC 1972
Record: 12-0
Coach: John McKay
Points for/against: 38.6 ppg. (3rd), 10.6 ppg. (7th)
All-Americans: T Pete Adams, TE Charle Young, LB Rich Wood

USC won three national championships in the 1970s, but this was the only one the Trojans did not share in that era. USC opened the season with a 31-10 win at No. 4 Arkansas – which showed the power of the backfield led by Anthony Davis, Rod McNeill and Sam Cunningham. Davis rushed for 1,034 yards and 16 TDs – and dominated a schedule that included six ranked teams. That included victories against rivals No. 14 UCLA and No. 10 Notre Dame at the end of the regular season before a convincing 42-17 victory against No. 3 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.


8. Oklahoma 1974
Record: 11-0
Coach: Barry Switzer
Points for/against: 43.0 ppg. (1st), 8.4 ppg. (5th)
All-Americans: G Kyle Davis, G John Roush, LB Rod Shoate, RB Joe Washington, S Randy Hughes

Switzer's best team at Oklahoma also featured Lee Roy and Dewey Selmon on the interior defensive line. The Sooners were ineligible for the Coaches Poll and not allowed to be on TV while under NCAA probation, but that did not stop this team from dominating the Big 8. Washington starred at running back with 1,321 yards and 13 TDs. A 16-13 victory against No. 17 Texas on a field goal by Tony DiRienzo with 5:25 remaining set up the unbeaten season. Oklahoma did not play in a bowl game, but Alabama's 13-11 loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl clinched a national title.

9. Alabama 2009
Record: 14-0
Coach: Nick Saban
Points for/against: 32.1 ppg. (22nd), 11.7 ppg. (2nd)
All-Americans: CB Javier Arenas, DT Terrence Cody, RB Mark Ingram, G Mike Johnson, LB Rolando McClain, K Leigh Tiffin

This team re-established Alabama as a national power and marked the beginning of the Saban dynasty. Greg McElroy and Ingram, who won the Heisman Trophy with 1,658 rushing yards and 17 TDs, were the leaders on an offense that also featured Julio Jones and Trent Richardson. The defense was smothering – and Cody made a season-defining play with a block field goal that preserved a 12-10 victory against Lane Kiffin-led Tennessee. Alabama beat No. 1 Florida 32-13 in the SEC championship game and routed No. 2 Texas 37-21 in the BCS championship game.


10. Indiana 2025
Record: 16-0
Coach: Curt Cignetti
Points for/against: 41.6 ppg. (3rd), 11.6 ppg. (2nd)
All-Americans: LB Aiden Fisher, QB Fernando Mendoza, CB De'Angelo Ponds, T Carter Smith

Indiana burned through the 205 season behind Cignetti, who proved his first CFP appearance in 2024 was not a fluke. The Hoosiers won road games at Oregon, Iowa and Penn State with four-quarter heroics from Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy after passing for 3,535 yards, 41 TDs and six interceptions. Indiana ranked third in scoring offense and second in scoring defense. A 13-10 victory against No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten championship preceded a playoff run through No. 11 Alabama, No. 5 Oregon and No. 10 Miami. Cignetti pulled off the unthinkable with the highest ranked Big Ten team on our list.

I remember back in the 60s when the Sporting News paper was like the sports bible

lazy slacker

just not great on Defense - but not bad